Method for maintaining cerebral hemispheric oxygen saturation during surgery

Abstract

A method for preventing or reducing hemispheric cerebral oxygen desaturation in a subject undergoing surgery, wherein the method comprising the prophylactic administration of a vasodilator to the subject.

1 . A method for reducing or preventing hemispheric cerebral oxygen desaturation in a subject undergoing surgery, said method comprising the prophylactic administration of a vasodilator to the subject. 
   
   
       2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vasodilator is administered in an amount sufficient for maintaining hemispheric cerebral oxygenation above a predetermined oxygen saturation level. 
   
   
       3 . The method as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said predetermined oxygen saturation level is equal to about 75 percent of an hemispheric cerebral oxygenation in said subject prior to the administration of said vasodilator and prior to the beginning of said surgery. 
   
   
       4 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vasodilator is nitroprusside. 
   
   
       5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vasodilator is nitroglycerine. 
   
   
       6 . The method as defined in  claim 5 , wherein said nitroglycerine is administered intravenously into the subject. 
   
   
       7 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said nitroglycerine is administered through one of intravenous injection and infusion. 
   
   
       8 . A method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said nitroglycerine is administered prior to performing the surgery. 
   
   
       9 . A method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said nitroglycerine is injected both prior to performing said surgery and during at least a portion of the duration of said surgery. 
   
   
       10 . A method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein said nitroglycerine is injected both prior to performing said surgery and during the entire duration of said surgery. 
   
   
       11 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said nitroglycerine is injected at a rate of about 0.001 μg/kg of subject weight/min to about 100 μg/kg of subject weight/min. 
   
   
       12 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said nitroglycerine is injected at a rate of about 0.1 μg/kg of subject weight/min to about 5 μg/kg of subject weight/min. 
   
   
       13 . The method as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said nitroglycerine is injected at a rate of about 0.5 μg/kg of subject weight/min to about 1 μg/kg of subject weight/min. 
   
   
       14 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said surgery involves extra-corporal circulation. 
   
   
       15 . The method as defined in  claim 14 , comprising:
 administering said vasodilator in the bloodstream of said subject at a first rate before the beginning of said extra-corporal circulation; and   administering said vasodilator in the bloodstream of said subject at a second rate after the beginning of said extra-corporal circulation.   
   
   
       16 . The method as defined in  claim 13 , wherein said second rate is substantially larger than said first rate. 
   
   
       17 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said subject is a mammal. 
   
   
       18 . The method as defined in  claim 15 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
   
   
       19 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vasodilator is a nitric oxide donor. 
   
   
       20 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , comprising said prophylactic administration of said vasodilator to said subject in an amount sufficient for preventing hemispheric cerebral oxygen desaturation.